Panic buyers

[Idliketoteachtheworldtosing1]

Aibu to think that it's damn ridiculous the way people have been panic buying?
Personally I think that all the supermarkets should take a leaf out of our co ops book and allow one 6 pint per person! Yes it caused a few rows but surely that is the fair way when stocks are running low.
It's always milk and bread, some people are so selfish and buy ridiculous amounts of the stuff.
It drives me mad.

I had plenty in stock. However it is now Tuesday. There is still not one loaf of bread, roll, bagel or pitta to be had in the local supermarket. When the baker does a batch they’re snatched off the shelves. It’s been 4 days since we last saw a snowflake! I assume they will have a delivery today..

You could find out about how to make your own bread. Or find storeable alternatives. Not saying it's not vexing to find it difficult to get the stuff you are used to. Just that it is a good idea to think about alternatives.

DH used to work for a government agency, and was involved with emergency planning. It is estimated that the majority of inner citiy homes have less than 24hrs food stocks.

He had to plan where military helicopters could land in cities to deliver emergency supplies, and armed police to guard and distribute.

Pretty horrible to think of, Kursk.

darkriver we actually did run out of diet coke one year when we had very bad snow and were stuck in the house for a week and a bit.

Never again. I always have at least two boxes spare!

Maybe the government should do an old fashioned TV advisory: winter's coming so stock up on a few essential long life foods and keep a torch handy.

I remember in the build up to the millenium bug, Tony Blair - our then Prime Minister - saying on Radio 4 that there was no harm in buying a few extra tins and so on. This when people were panic buying everything they could lay their hands on, ready for the turmoil and anarchy about to ensue on New Year's Day when all the computers went wrong.

Personally, I think that was one of the most irresponsible and downright stupid things a Prime Minister has said in my lifetime, and probably in a few other lifetimes too.

He was telling everyone too late then!

I have a British Red Cross app on my phone called "Emergency " which you can set for your area and areas where your loved ones live. It will show specific warnings for weather and tide problems and has pages you can go on to find out about what you could have in at home to make life a bit easier if there is a power cut or a storm etc. And what to have in your car.
No terrifying you, no panicking you. Just sensible advice.

There were still a few weeks to go, though. Just kept panic buying going.

In Germany, homes were recently advised to have at least 72 hours supply in place.
We got a government leaflet a couple of years ago suggesting the same thing in case of a terror attack. Actually a bit funny but still sensible enough advice.
Don't get why it is irresponsible to tell households to do this.

the majority of inner citiy homes have less than 24hrs food stocks.

How do these people live? Do they physically go food shopping every single day? It's nuts! And damn expensive if you buy individual portions of everything

There are a fair few countries that currently advise their citizens to have at least 3 days of food and other essential supplies at all times. We living in a world where we are heavily reliant on a complex technology infrastructure. I genuinely believe that anyone with less than a week of essential supplies in stock is irresponsible - not the governments advising people to take precautions .

It is the people who don't have a back up plan who put others in danger - whether that's by being forced out to drive in dangerous conditions where non essential traffic shouldn't be on the roads or by looting etc in times of real crisis.

Kursk I think I re member you from other threads- an i right in thinking that you live in the US? Apologies if I have you muddled up with another poster.

I do think there will be some differences between us cities and uk ones. Not least the size!

But some people bizarrely seem to pride themselves on never having anything in.

Clearly I appreciate that not everyone is in the fortunate financial position of being able to build up stocks.

Also "24 hours" supply of normal meals and snacks et c does not mean starvation after 24 hours. Surely even if you didn't keep much food in, you would be able to stretch it a bit longer and open up that fruit cake received as a Christmas present that's been hanging around at the back of the cupboard, etc
Having to have tea black/ drink water and eating something other than toast for breakfast is not a catastrophe!

"people go out to stock up for the week"! Don't people have enough food for a week at least? Bit silly really not to have at least a week's worth of food in the house. As I said above, anything could happen that makes you unable to get to a shop.

I probably have enough food to last at least a month although by the end of that time we might be eating some strange meals.

Hummus may be made of chickpeas but you would be surprised how many people just don't seem to know that.

Only having enough food for 24 hours is being silly and short sighted. Ok some people don't have lots of money but if you buy an extra couple of say tinned soup or veg each time you shop or a pack of cheap pasta it is not going to break the bank.

Do people honestly go shopping every day? It must work out more expensive and how do they always find the time?

I only shop for tins, dried foods etc every couple of months and that is bad enough. I do shop weekly or fortnightly for fruit and veg and find that a real chore

I suppose if someone normally did their weeks shopping on a Tuesday, and disruption stuck on a Monday they would have lower stocks than someone who shopped on Sunday.

darkriver we actually did run out of diet coke one year when we had very bad snow and were stuck in the house for a week and a bit

We are due for over a foot of snow tomorrow/Thurs. I am stocking up on DC as I type :-D

To be fair, I would struggle to prepare food if we were left without gas and electricity.
At least we are lucky and have space for a barbecue outside. Without it, we always have at least enough dry goods and various to last a month, but no way to prepare them. I should invest in camping supplies.

Is the problem not that some people, when seeing a shelf with only 20 pints of milk on it, would purchase every single bottle of milk because that's what they normally buy for their family. Thus leaving none at all for anyone else. They could fairly easily live with one or two bottles less, but because it's not panic buying they think it's ok.

While I love to get everything I want from the shops, I have stuff in in case I can't. I'm not going to slag off someone for buying a huge amount in what they think is an impending crisis. That's their call. It's nice to be nice but that's a bit naive when people perceive a problem with food supply.

@thetapir, so people should buy less than what they need?

A lot of people here aren't buying what they need, but what they want - there's a difference. Someone's teenager might want to drink 3 pints a day, but they don't need to.